Precious Stones
by Dusty Paws
Summary: Emerald green was his favourite colour, because it was the colour of her eyes. Her boy too. He'd been unable to save her but he would be damned if her boy would die too.


Just an idea that came to me the other day while I was staring into space.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you see before you...unless you see my sanity, I wouldn't mind that back thanks :)

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Emerald green was his favourite colour he decided, unable to tear his eyes away from hers. His long, calloused, and burn riddled fingers turned the glass of pumpkin juice in its ring of condensation, but they had none of the grace that hers did, as they drew nonsensical patterns on his dining room table.

"Severus? Are you alright?" Eyes of pitch black blinked furiously as he tossed dark hair from them. A light flush was rising on his usually pallid cheeks, and he ducked his head so she would not see.

"Of course, Lily. I'm fine." He flashed a fake smile, watching a frown mar her otherwise perfect features through his eyelashes. Severus Snape knew he did not deserve her concern, and, unconsciously massaged his aching left arm.

"You always say that, but I don't believe you." That undeserved emotion danced in those emerald pools, drawing his gaze back, as it always did.

"I apologise." He murmured, she was the only one to bring out this humbled side of him. The only one with whom he bothered to hide his darkness, or was it simply that her light was bright enough for the both of them? Outshining his darkness. "What were we talking about?" Lily Evans, no, not Evans: Potter, now matter how he tried to forget.

"Harry's birthday." Of course, the son. The boy, who at merely one year old, was already the image of his father. But instead of the grey stone that Snape had grown to hate, the boy's face was set with the emeralds he had grown to love. "I wish you could've been there, he would've loved to see you." Somehow Snape doubted that was true, but he appreciated her effort to make him feel part of her life. As if that unforgivable word had never passed his teenage lips years ago. The single, _detested_ word that had driven her into James Potter's arms. _'Mudblood'_

"I know." He finally settled on a non-committal answer that would harm neither of them. He was glad she did not know where he had been instead, that she didn't know he'd been with Lord Voldemort himself, pleading for her life. But at the same time he wanted to scream at her that she was in danger that her son was in danger. That she needed to take the boy and flee, even take her husband if she had to, but for the love of all that was real to get away. To get away from him. But he could say nothing, and was forced to play this game with her, pretending that they weren't on separate sides. As they always had done. "I know, Lily. Maybe I'll be at the next one." Except he knew that he wouldn't be, so did she on some level.

Night had fallen nearly an hour ago, and as if she had suddenly noticed this, Lily drained the last dregs of her pumpkin juice and got to her feet. Snape stood too, letting his dark cloak fall around him like wings.

"I'll see you, Severus." She gave him a smile that warmed his frozen heart, sweeping him into a gentle hug. He breathed in her scent, committing it to memory all over again; cut grass and warmth.  
"Stay." The word slipped past his lips of its own volition, stopping Lily on her path to the door. Her smile faltered.

"What's wrong, Severus?" There was that concern again, one thing he loved about her above all else. He shook his head slowly.

"It doesn't matter. Just stay here tonight, I don't know what it is but I think you'd be safer." Oh he knew _exactly_ what it was, he was just too cowardly to admit it.

"I can't, James and Harry. I need to get back to them." Desperation filtered into his heart, but his face remained as blank as ever. If Lily left him now, she would never be seen alive again.

"Then bring them here too. I really don't think its safe tonight. I don't trust Black." That was it; pass the blame over to the Potter's secret keeper. That should be enough to cast doubt in her mind. Lily merely smiled her heartbreaking smile.

"Sirius is a good man, but he's no longer our secret keeper." He knew, of course. "And little Peter would never tell. He idolises James." But not as much as he fears Lord Voldemort. Snape was growing ever more desperate as the conversation continued. He couldn't break his vow to the Dark Lord and tell the girl, nor could he simply watch her die.

"Lily, please. Listen." Her eyes flashed with emerald fire, much like the curse his master favoured so much. He was begging now, with anyone else he would never stoop so low, but for the girl who had befriended him when no one else would? He would do anything.

"No, Severus. You listen; I will be perfectly safe with my husband, and my son. I love you, but you're being paranoid." He forced a thin smile. "Good night."

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Fourteen years later Severus Snape pulled his head out of his pensieve, his mind holding onto to that flash of emerald fire, and his arm aching as much as it had that night. "Severus." The tired voice from behind him didn't startle the potions master; not much did anymore.

"Yes, Albus?" The sapphire eyes fixed him in place as soon as he turned. "He's back." It wasn't a question but the Headmaster nodded anyway.

"I would ask you to resume your position, as my spy." Snape thought of emeralds and stood straighter, holding his head high.

"And I would do it in a heartbeat." The aged wizard nodded sagely, and half turned away.

"After all this time, a true blue." Snape knew better than to ask his meaning, Dumbledore was prone to his cryptic speeches. And when the man left, Severus followed closely, his mind fixed on the last remnant of his light. On a boy with emeralds in his eyes.

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Aw...poor Snape...I feel like he should have a happy ending but I love angsty heroes too much :) Thanks for reading.


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